In The Name
by Lady Healer
Summary: Hidden Joke Missing Scene. It was bound to happen. He had expected it to come from Dick first, but he wasn't surprised that it came from her. She could, after all, give Dick a run for his money in the art of talking.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own Batman or Buffy.

**Warning:**This is part of the Hidden Joke storyline. You may or may not be confused if you haven't read Hidden Joke first.

** Missing scene: In the Name **

**Beginnings **

She was determined he'll give her that. And clever, Red Robin concluded as he swung from rooftop to rooftop in order to catch up with his target. This was the fifth time this week he had to interfere and escort her home before she stumbled across trouble that could kill her in her search for the Joker.

It should have been easy to prevent her from getting far and then returning her home. Or even prevent her from leaving. But if he watched the door, she sneaked out of the window. Watch the window and she would leave through the door. Watch them both and she'll find a third way of leaving unseen. If he didn't know any better he would say that she had a surveillance system set up. But he did know better. She didn't. He checked.

He would call her paranoid for choosing a different exit each time, but she was right in assuming that someone was watching. Red Robin paused on the next roof and peered down into the street, spotting Elizabeth across the street. She was heading towards the subway. She would cut through the alleyway to shorten her time. He would confront her there.

It should have been child play really. And it was the first three times. Easily cutting down the time it took even included distractions. Starting at twenty minutes and cutting it to ten before it became five. Then she discovered the bug he had placed on her. And five became forty minutes.

He shot a grappling line and swung to the building on the other side of the street. Last time, he spent several minutes catching up to a cab before realizing she had given him the slip, again, and then had to backtrack in order to find her. Embarrassing. Damian was never allowed to know. He wouldn't live it down.

She was improving remarkably for someone with no training. She learned from her errors and was quick to improvise. He quietly jumped down into the alley behind her and she spun around. She was observant too.

She stepped into a fighting stance. "You really need to get over this obsession."

"And miss our dates?" He replied as he leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. "Am I to carry you home again? Or can I persuade you from this course this time?" He wasn't flirting. He really wasn't. Dick's opinions don't count.

She shrugged. "You could try bringing food. It would even go along with your theme." She straightened out of her stance and slowly started to walk backward towards the alley exit. She already learned that turning her back was a quick way for her to be caught.

"How about chocolates for every night you stay home? I can even bring the finest for you, my damsel." He smirked as she glared at him.

"Not a damsel."

"Not seeing the evidence indicating otherwise." He replied as he pushed away from the wall. "All kidding aside, it's time to go home Elizabeth." He lunged towards her before darting to the side to avoid her kick. Her reaction time had improved.

For a several moments, they traded blows before he circled around her and she spun around to match. She punched at him and he grabbed her wrist. Quickly he yanked her towards him, wincing as she used the opportunity to slam her heel down onto his foot. He ducked her other punch, grabbed her around the waist and threw her onto his shoulder. He shot a grappling line to the roof.

"You are so gonna lose to me one day." Elizabeth stated as she stop her struggling.

Twelve minutes this time. When she tries tomorrow he is making it six. He landed onto the roof. "I doubt that."

She sighed. "You realized I'm just going to sneak back out once you're busy?"

"Can't you just behave?" He questioned as he started to make a mental list of possible ways of keeping her at her house tonight. He crossed off the first three choices. He had already used them and she showed promise of figuring out how to turn them back on him. Quickly he started to make his way back to her house.

"You might as well keep dreaming, boy mascot."

He swung to the next rooftop. "Not going to drop that, are you?"

"It's your fault for naming yourself after a restaurant."

((*~*~*~*))

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	2. The Scare

**In the Name: The Scare**

"I had a thought." Elizabeth stated as she walked through the door of his apartment.

Tim leaned against the left wall. "And what would that be?" It had been one week since the Joker had been returned to Arkham and everything seem to return to normal. Elizabeth, at least, had stopped her late night hunts. Now, if he could just convince her to do something about the situation building up at the school.

"You." Elizabeth stopped in front of him and crossed her arms.

Tim raised an eyebrow. "Me."

Elizabeth stared at him for several seconds, before stating flatly. "Red Robin."

Crap. Tim barely managed to not react to her statement. How did she figure it out? When? He looked into her hazel eyes. There was no doubt in her eyes. What type of evidence did she have that made her so confident in her conclusion and how was he going to refute it? He raised another eyebrow. "Liz, I think you have the wrong idea…."

"Oh, I don't think so." She interrupted. "I have it worked out perfectly." She smirked as she pulled out a small envelope from her purse.

The proof. Tim eyed the small envelope as she waved it through the air. Crap square. "Let—May I see?" He said barely able to make it sound like a request rather than an order. There was still hope that he could prove her wrong, but if he switched to his Red Robin's voice he would be screwed. So far, so good. Now if he could just find out what she had, he thought, as he reached for the damning evidence.

"Hang on." Elizabeth stated as she yanked the envelope away from him as he was inches away from grabbing it. "You can analyze it for weak points later. Right now, you can hear me out."

Damn. Tim crossed his arms. "What do you want Elizabeth?"

"Someone's grumpy." Elizabeth's lips twitched slightly upward before she frowned. "Did you get enough sleep last night? I know you were probably busy, but…"

"Elizabeth!"

"Fine, fine." She briefly held her hands up in surrender before handing the envelope over. She shrugged. "Just a thought, but I figured maybe if you backed the letter of request to the Red Robin chain of restaurants that they might put more consideration about building one here in Gotham."

This was about the restaurant? Tim stared at the letter in his hand. Not his alter ego? Elizabeth was trying to kill him wasn't she? He withheld the sigh of relief that wanted to come out and looked over the request. It was well thought out. She did her homework. He glanced up at Elizabeth. "Liz, why do you want a Red Robin's restaurant built here? There are plenty of other places that serve excellent burgers. I could show you a few."

"Oh I know." She replied. "But it's not fair that we have Boy Mascot and not the restaurant he represents."

Tim bit back a groan. She was never going to let him live that down was she? She even managed to tease him with it in his civilian identity, though luckily she was unaware of that fact. He shook his head in amusement. "Somehow, I doubt there is a link between the two."

Elizabeth shrugged. "Probably." She took back the letter and stuffed it into her purse. "It's probably better that they're not here, otherwise it would likely get attacked all the time."

"Probably." Tim agreed before gesturing towards the living room. "Would you like to watch a movie? We could finish our homework while we're at it."

"Love to, but can't. I busy for the rest of the day." Elizabeth answered. "First I have bonding time with Jeannie and then I'm hunting for Boy Mascot."

Tim raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know why you need to hunt him down?"

Elizabeth turned back towards the door and paused slightly before it." I still owe him a punch for faking my parents' death but not informing me when he had a perfect opportunity to do so."

Tim barely withheld a wince. Elizabeth was still livid with him, well, Red Robin. She had good reason to be. But if the punching bag was any evidence, he really didn't want to get hit by her when she was angry.

Elizabeth opened the door and stepped out before pausing, biting her bottom lip slightly. "Still, if he ever became a delivery boy for the restaurant, they really _would_ have their commercial correct." She smirked as she turned and walked down the street, singing lightly. "Red Robin. Yum..."

Tim chuckled after the door closed and turned towards his lair. She was never going to let him live it down in either identity whether she knew it or not. He paused and glimpsed back at the front door. But he could work with that.


End file.
